The WTC--WTF?

(Photo from here.)

This was meant to be a memorial blog. However, a surprising number of my freshmen don't remember the tragic events of 9-11-2001. Therefore, this is more of a WTF lament blog! I mean, what is this world coming to when the most horrible event in their lifetimes is forgettable? Granted, they were 6 at the time, but isn't it part of our duty to remember and to teach them to remember? 

(Photo from here.)

     Maybe they don't remember this event or haven't learned about it in school because for most of their lives, we have been at war.  In a climate of violence and unrest, one event might not stand out as much.  When asked what the most important event in their lifetime was so far, one student replied, "Michael Jackson dying has been the most major event so far."  This reply was the most common, beating out Obama's presidency, Hurricane Katrina, 9-11, and other such responses.  Another major event that was predominate for these 14-year-olds is the swine flu, and some are stressed that the world might end in 2012, "Before I can graduate," notes one student.
  Head smack!  How do we help our young ones, this next generation, be alert to important events, rather than being diverted by pop culture?   This is a very dangerous trend.





Comments from my freshmen on September 11, 2009 from their journals:

Words from some who didn't remember it:
"I don't know nothing about it.  I wonder what happen 2001, 09, 11th?"

"I wonder why September 11th is so important?  I never heard anything about it before."

"I don't know anything about it.  It is emotional.  It sound sad.  So I feel sorry for them."

"I don't remember anything about it and don't know much about it."

"It was just another day."

"I don't know about September 11th."

"Isn't that a holiday--Patriot Day?  Why are we in school?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Why do I care about New York?"

"I don't think it really happened.  It was just a government plot."

Be relieved, many of them, even if they don't remember much, know of the event.

"On 9/11 I remember I was in 1st grade in Mrs. Williams's class.  She came into the classroom and turned the t.v. on.  The hole class look at the t.v. and was shocked.  Some of the kids started crying.  So it was a very sad day."

"I was in first grade doing my math homework.  And I saw the 2 towers burning on tv."

"September eleven, 2001.  I was in first grade.  I remember the teacher leaving the room.  Then she came back crying.  We asked her what's wrong, but she didn't tell us.  They didn't tell us anything.  Some of my friends checked out, but no one told them anything.  I guess they didn't want to scare us, but by them not telling us, by them being so quiet, they did scare us."

"I thought it was the saddest day.  People werwe jumping out of the buildings so they didn't get burned."

"I remember it.  My dad picked me and my sister up early.  We thought it was our grandmother (that something had happened to her).  Our dad asked if we watched the news."

"9/11/01 was a terrible day.  I remember when I was in 1st grade, and we watched it fall to the ground and it made me mad."

"What I know about 9/11 is that the twin towers got hit by an airplane."

"Why didn't they hit the Empire State Building?"

"All I remember was being in my second grade class.  And some teachers were like "Whoa" and everything."

"I remember I was at my grandma's house and we were watching the news and I saw a plane crash in a building smoking and crushed.  I asked what it was--it was the terroist attack."

"It was really scary."

"September 11th wasn't the best day ever."

"On 9-11-01, there was something like a plane crash that killed a lot."

"Why did this happen?"

Tranquility before disaster struck.